


You Come Around and the Armor Falls

by Hollyspacey



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Cuddles, F/F, Fluff, Natasha Romanov Feels, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-04
Updated: 2017-03-04
Packaged: 2018-09-28 03:51:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,169
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10070117
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hollyspacey/pseuds/Hollyspacey
Summary: After the fallout of Civil War, Natasha shows up at Darcy and Jane's door. Darcy, in particular, is happy about their new guest.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by [this post](http://hollyspacey.tumblr.com/post/152444553431/redshoestinhouses-a-moment-to-talk-about) on the tumblr.

When Natasha showed up unannounced at the door of Jane’s lab, Darcy just nodded, held the door open, and went to go make an extra sandwich. 

She was unexpected but not unwelcome. After London, and after Jane’s Nobel Prize win, both Darcy and Jane had needed a change. Tony’s job offer would always be there, and they were both done with Europe for the time being, so they found themselves back in New Mexico, in the old filling station. Surrounded by memories of when it was just the two of them, or just the two of them and Erik, back when Jane was still a quack and not one of the most respected people in the scientific community, back when there was only one alien trying to blow up the world, instead of hordes of them tearing up Greenwich. _Simpler times._

Natasha fit in well with the two of them. They had all become friends when Darcy and Jane stayed at the Tower for awhile after London. It hadn’t always been like that, though. Natasha, who out of necessity was slow to trust new people, was distant at first. Carefully watching Jane and Darcy every time they moved through the Tower. Responding to their occasional offers to hang out with a polite, ‘No, thank you.” 

It made sense, this was in the first months after the incident in DC, after the Winter Soldier showed up, after Natasha found out she had been working for the bad guys the whole time. After she’d been forced to spill her and and all her friends’ secrets for all the world to see. A massive thing for someone who had survived on secrets for most of her life. 

Among the files Natasha had dropped were Darcy and Jane’s own and Darcy always secretly hoped that Natasha would read them and see that they were good people. Probably wishful thinking, because Darcy also suspected that Natasha knew every detail of their lives before they ever stepped foot in the Tower. 

The turning of the tide came from a slightly unexpected source. Darcy was sitting at the kitchen table one day when Natasha came in and stood in front of her, staring until she looked up. 

“Hello,” Darcy said. 

Natasha watched her carefully, giving a small sigh. “I have a message for you.” 

“Ok,” Darcy replied, slowly. Her heart picked up a little, she wasn’t too proud to admit. Natasha had never made her feel threatened, despite what she was capable of. However, her ominous tone did not inspire a lot of confidence within Darcy. 

“I spoke to a friend of mine today.” 

Darcy nodded encouragingly. “Yeah?” 

“Clint said to tell you hello,” Natasha said with a tiny sniff. 

“Oh!” Darcy exclaimed. “ _Clint_. Yeah. How is he?” 

“He is fine.” 

“Good. That’s good. He’s a cool guy.” Natasha gave a little hum and raised a shoulder noncommittally. “Will you tell him I said ‘hello’ the next time you talk to him?” 

“Alright.” 

She turned to walk away and Darcy stopped her, “Hey.” The redhead turned with raised brow and Darcy continued, “That was a very dramatic way just to pass along a hello.” 

“Was it?” 

“Uh huh. I feel like that was maybe on purpose.” 

“You do?” 

Darcy nodded resolutely. “Yes.” 

“I guess we’ll never know,” Natasha responded with a smirk as she left the kitchen. 

It wasn’t the way Darcy pictured their first conversation, but it was progress. She decided to count it as a success. A theory that was proven two nights later, during a takeout-and-movie night with Jane. They were bundled up on the couch in Darcy’s apartment, surrounded by styrofoam containers and Jane’s special margaritas. There was a knock at the door and when Darcy swung it open, Natasha was standing there, calm smile on her face and a bottle of vodka in her hands. Darcy gave her a grin and stood aside to let her in. 

It was the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Once she let someone in, Natasha was loving and gentle and sassy and everything that Darcy loved in a person. A beautiful person, inside and out. 

So, Darcy was glad to have Natasha there with them in New Mexico. With the three of them back together, it was like they hadn’t been apart at all. Darcy knew about the issues between Tony and Steve, knew about the fight and the bad blood, and how somehow, Natasha had ended up in the middle. Torn between the people she called friends, and Darcy knew that Natasha didn’t take friendship lightly. 

She knew about Clint being on the other side and that neither Steve nor Tony had been willing to listen to reason. She knew that Natasha had done everything in her power to stop the conflict and that _this_ , her being here, was Nat’s version of crawling into a corner and licking her wounds. She wasn’t sure where she stood with everyone and was probably more than a little angry, and Jane and Darcy had never been anything but a safe place for her. Darcy was glad for that. She was glad that Natasha had come to them. 

Truth was, Darcy had missed the redhead. She and Natasha had gotten very close in their time at the Tower, not just spending time together with Jane, but alone, too. If she were honest with herself, she would say that she had sort of fallen for her. 

That came after the friendship they created. After the girls nights and shopping trips. On the evenings when she would fall asleep with Natasha on the couch in the living room. An old fuzzy afghan wrapped around them, their bodies notched against each other like puzzle pieces. Darcy’s arm wrapped around her slim waist, Natasha’s warm breath slightly ruffling Darcy’s hair, the heat of their bodies making it almost unbearably warm, with neither of them willing to move despite this. The soft kiss that Natasha always pressed against the top of Darcy’s head at the very moment she thought she fell asleep, and the way Darcy fought sleep to feel it. 

After dinner and the excitement of Natasha's arrival on that first day, Jane drifted back into the lab. Darcy went to where Natasha had dropped her bag when she came in and picked it up. 

“The trailer is out of commission and there are only two bedrooms here. So, you can crash on the couch or bunk with one of us.” Darcy let her voice stay steady, not allowing it to betray her with any of the hope she felt that Natasha would choose her. 

Natasha stepped forward and slid her bag off of Darcy’s shoulders, giving a small shrug as she met Darcy’s eyes. “I’ll go wherever you want me.” 

“Yeah, ok. You can stay with me. If you want.” Natasha nodded and let Darcy lead her down the hall. 

Darcy’s eyes flitted around her room, wishing she’d maybe straightened things up a bit and also praying for something to say to break the thick silence that had followed them into the room. That tension that had never been there between them popping up because they were going to have to share a bed. 

“We have a roof,” Darcy blurted. 

Natasha’s eyebrow twitched up as she attempted to hide the tilt of her lips. She glanced up towards the ceiling. “A roof? Really. That is fascinating.” 

Darcy rolled her eyes. “I mean, obviously we have a roof, but like, it’s a cool roof?” She shook her head. “What I was saying was that we go up there sometimes. There are chairs and it’s pretty and, I don’t know,” she said in a rush. “I just thought you might like it.” 

Natasha nodded and headed out of the room. “Alright, show me this roof of yours.” 

They climbed the hatch up to the rooftop, Darcy glancing down once to see Natasha a few rungs below her, meeting Darcy’s eyes with an easy smile. The two lawn chairs were in their usual place, a sight for Darcy’s sore eyes the first time she had climbed up once they came back. Those cheap plastic loungers had seen so much. Laughter and tears and everything in between. Had seen Jane and Darcy through tragedy and triumph and had welcomed them back like they’d never left. 

One of the Jane’s favorite Thor stories was the night they’d sat up on the roof for hours, talking. It had been the early days and it was the first time Jane had admitted to herself that she might possibly have feelings for the strange man who fell from the sky and spoke of other realms. That night in those old plastic chairs had been the turning point and Darcy couldn’t but feel a spark of something to show this place to Natasha. 

The night was clear and the stars were sparkling as Darcy stepped onto the roof, Natasha behind her seconds later. Natasha walked the edge of the building, checking the area just to be sure, never forgetting herself. Darcy noticed she did it a lot and the first time she’d let Clint come up on the roof, he’d done the same thing. She hated that Natasha felt the need to be vigilant constantly, but she also understood it. After confirming that everything was as it should be, Natasha twirled around on her toes and looked at Darcy. She smiled at her and walked a direct path to one of the chairs, where she daintily let herself relax against the plastic. She patted the seat beside her. 

“Are you going to join me?”

Darcy walked over and sat down on the other chair, stretching out like a cat. “I wasn’t sure whether to believe you about the roof, but it seems you were right. There is a roof here,” Natasha said, gesturing around them with a smirk on her face. 

Darcy reached over to gently shove at Natasha’s shoulder. “Shut up. You know what I meant.” 

“Yes, I did. I like to get you riled up, though.” 

“You mean you're a shit-stirrer.” 

Natasha shrugged noncommittally. “Darcy, if I don't keep you on your toes, who will?” 

Darcy laughed. “Yes. I suppose that is a valid point.” 

They sat in silence for awhile, just looking up at the sky. It was peaceful and beautiful and Darcy hoped that Natasha was feeling the same sense of contentment she did. Darcy tilted her head to gaze at Natasha, the other woman smirking and asking, “What?” 

“You heard from Steve or Tony?” 

Natasha rolled her eyes. “Of course not. They're still being children. I spoke to Sam earlier, everyone is alive and well and as stubborn as always.” 

“They'll come around,” Darcy reassured her. 

“Maybe,” Natasha said, a doubtful tone in her voice. 

When they climbed back downstairs a little later, Darcy couldn’t help but study Natasha. She told herself that she was checking to see if being at the lab had loosened that tenseness that had filled Natasha’s body that morning. But really, she knew it was because of the fact that it had been so long since she had seen her. She had missed Natasha, missed being able to glance over and look at her or watch her expression as they had a conversation. She realized just how inadequate all of the skyping and texting had been, because more than anything she had wanted Natasha there with her. 

That night, Darcy slid into bed and burrowed under the covers while Natasha was in the shower. It had been a big day and the sound of running water pushed Darcy quickly into a deep sleep, the only disturbance coming later with a slight dip of the bed and what Darcy was certain was a soft kiss on her forehead. 

The days fell into a pattern, Darcy waking up to an empty bed as the smell of coffee hit her nose. She’d drag herself into the shower and then out into the lab where Natasha would slide her a mug of coffee. One of them would cook breakfast or they would pull Jane away from work and take her to Izzy’s Diner. Natasha helped Darcy with her work, easily catching on to the filing system Darcy had in place. Two people doing the work meant they were left with more time to sit around and talk, or go sit on the roof, or walk through town. Then they would fix dinner and spend the evening just hanging out. 

Natasha was good for Jane. Just as bossy as Darcy, but sneakier about it. She was not above temporarily sabotaging Jane’s machines to force her into some time away. Darcy was more than a little impressed and felt that she should have been taking notes. 

Then, one Saturday, Natasha declared it a _no work_ day. They went shopping, ate at the fanciest restaurant in town (a steakhouse with a mechanical bull in the middle of the restaurant), and came back to the lab for a girls night, just like old times. Margaritas were made and Netflix was going and it was the perfect end to a perfect day. 

Jane even stayed away from work the whole time, only mentioning science as she was sleepily shuffling off for bed, planning her full schedule of experiments for the next day. Darcy and Natasha stayed on the couch awhile longer, the tv playing softly in the background. Eventually, the tequila and Natasha’s body heat got to Darcy and she stood, stretching, mumbling that it was bedtime. Natasha followed her down the hall and they got ready for bed in silence. 

Darcy slid under the covers, smelling the rose scented lotion Natasha put on at night. She rolled over and the redhead was looking at her. “Why are you so nervous, _myshka_?” 

“Nervous? I’m not nervous.” 

Natasha gave her a knowing smirk and reached out to tuck a few strands of hair behind Darcy’s ear. “Remember, back at the Tower, we used to cuddle all the time?” 

Darcy nodded. “Yeah, I remember.” 

“Is that not something we do anymore?” Natasha asked with a raised brow. 

Darcy tried to cover her surprise and pleasure at the question, just gave a casual shrug and shuffled a little closer to Natasha, feeling suddenly like they had crossed a line, or at least peeked over the edge of it. Natasha wrapped her arms around Darcy and held her close as Darcy leaned forward into the embrace. Natasha let her nose burrow just the slightest bit into Darcy’s hair as they lay there silently. 

“Can I kiss you on the head or do you still need to pretend to be asleep first?” 

Darcy tensed just the slightest bit. Of course Natasha knew she had been awake in those soft moments. But that hadn’t stopped her from making the move in the first place. Darcy’s voice was small as she answered, “Maybe I was asleep.” 

“You were fighting sleep like a child. I could always tell when you were asleep for real.” 

“Why didn’t you ever say anything?” 

“I figured there was a reason you were pretending and I didn’t mind if it meant I could kiss you.” 

Natasha’s words were heavy in the air and Darcy’s heart was pounding in her chest so loudly she thought everyone in New Mexico might be able to hear it. It seemed a promise of the possibility of _more_ with Natasha, and the prospect of _more_ with Natasha scared Darcy more than anything. 

Because this was Natasha. Natasha was just _different_. Natasha was an actual superhero, tough, strong, badass in a way that never failed to send a thrill down Darcy’s spine. But Darcy had seen the other side of her, too. How difficult it was to get close to her, to gain her trust, but how once you did, she was fierce with her affections. 

The way she picked on Clint, but also worried about him in her quiet way. The friendship with Steve that she had allowed to build and the way she made it her personal mission to keep him on his toes. The camaraderie she shared with Sam and the flirtation that seemed to fill every interaction they had. (Ok, Darcy didn’t necessarily like that part so much.) Even Tony, the man she was always about thirty seconds away from slapping, she had a loyalty and a sense of affection towards him, too. 

And most of all, Darcy liked the way she was with her. Easy, but in a way that made you appreciate all the hard work it had taken to build the kind of friendship where you could consider any interaction with Natasha as easy. Natasha didn’t ask anything of Darcy that she wasn’t prepared to give, never made her feel like she wasn’t enough. 

So Darcy just nodded, still tucked against Natasha. “You can kiss me if you want.” 

Darcy heard the soft, amused huff and the feeling of lips against her hair. She could have left it there, but Darcy had never been one to leave well enough alone, and so she lifted her head, stared into Natasha’s eyes and said, “I should have been more specific. You can _kiss_ me. If you want.” 

There was only the briefest moment where Darcy’s cheeks burned and her mind raced, certain that she had read things wrong and had maybe ruined everything. She thought it was probably the flash of what looked like shock on Natasha’s face. Hers wasn’t a face that wore shock very often, and it looked so foreign Darcy was sure she must have really messed up to put that look there. But her fear was short lived and as soon as the shock left Natasha’s face it was replaced with something else that Darcy couldn’t quite identify, and before she knew it, Natasha’s hands were cupping her face as she kissed her. 

Her lips were soft and her touch certain and Darcy felt a buzz course through her body. Darcy’s hands came up to tangle in Natasha’s locks as Natasha stroked at Darcy’s back and pulled her closer, deepening the kiss. A soft moan emerged from Darcy’s throat at the feeling of Natasha’s hands on her. It was like every moment she had hoped for but never thought she would actually get. It was better. 

Finally, Natasha pulled back, looking down at Darcy with a soft smile as they both took heavy breaths. 

“Well, this is interesting,” Natasha purred, leaning back down to press a kiss on Darcy’s forehead. Natasha pulled her into her arms and let her fingers trace lines up and down Darcy’s shoulder. “I think this is the point where I am supposed to ask you out on a date.” 

“Yeah, I think so. Do you want to go on a date with me, Nat?” Darcy asked with a grin. 

“Oh, absolutely.” 

“Good,” Darcy said as she let herself relax against Natasha. “And for the record, cuddling is definitely a thing that we still do.”


End file.
